Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Beyond the Field
Growing up as a competitive athlete, I learned to take pride in everything. Whether it was dominating on the soccer field or beating my sister in a hamburger eating contest. I always wanted to win.
So here at Carolina I have had no problem expressing my pride for the Tar Heels (or against Duke) at any sporting event or any other occasion. And why not? I have every right to have pride in being a Tar Heel. I mean we do have somewhat decent basketball, soccer, community service and academic programs right?
The Bronze Statues of “athletes in motion” display this type of pride. The statues, made of (you guessed right) bronze, display a girl throwing a javelin, a guy jumping over a hurdler and a sprinter crossing the finish line.
They are conveniently in the heart of the athletic fields by the scoreboard of Fetzer Field and Belk Track. Richard Hallier brought together many photos to create these realistic looking sculptures. However, it was Irwin Belk, a former UNC athlete and current businessman, who donated the statues to UNC. Belk also donated The Ram located outside of Kenan Stadium.
With my athletic background, I immediately thought about sports pride and athletic accomplishment as I first glanced at the Bronze Statues. However, as I began to look closely and really think about what the figures portray, I realized that these statues go far beyond the Belk Track.
When you look at each individual statue they are all striving for some sort of goal whether it’s throwing the javelin as far as they can, getting over the hurdle or reaching for the finish line.
As a Tar Heel, you are not only able to strive for any type goals but you can also reach them with the provided resources. You are given the ability to experience and accomplish anything you desire.
So here at Carolina I have had no problem expressing my pride for the Tar Heels (or against Duke) at any sporting event or any other occasion. And why not? I have every right to have pride in being a Tar Heel. I mean we do have somewhat decent basketball, soccer, community service and academic programs right?
The Bronze Statues of “athletes in motion” display this type of pride. The statues, made of (you guessed right) bronze, display a girl throwing a javelin, a guy jumping over a hurdler and a sprinter crossing the finish line.
They are conveniently in the heart of the athletic fields by the scoreboard of Fetzer Field and Belk Track. Richard Hallier brought together many photos to create these realistic looking sculptures. However, it was Irwin Belk, a former UNC athlete and current businessman, who donated the statues to UNC. Belk also donated The Ram located outside of Kenan Stadium.
With my athletic background, I immediately thought about sports pride and athletic accomplishment as I first glanced at the Bronze Statues. However, as I began to look closely and really think about what the figures portray, I realized that these statues go far beyond the Belk Track.
When you look at each individual statue they are all striving for some sort of goal whether it’s throwing the javelin as far as they can, getting over the hurdle or reaching for the finish line.
As a Tar Heel, you are not only able to strive for any type goals but you can also reach them with the provided resources. You are given the ability to experience and accomplish anything you desire.
Changing Form
Get up on your feet Tar Heels, because here comes Carolina! Wait no, don’t…art is suppose to be boring and mundane.
Those Marching Tar Heels wouldn’t disagree more with that statement, because what they do at every football game is art. Few people put together performing arts with visual arts, but like in English, there’s always an exception.
The art form of a marching band centers on their ability to multitask – keeping the beat in their feet, melody in their horns and eyes on the form. Something that can be disastrous if not performed correctly – I’m sure you’ve seen the pile ups.
Marching bands parallel the art work of Disney animators when they created Fantasia. You have a song (sometimes not so exciting), and you make pictures that makes the music fun.
The Marching Tar Heels aren’t too different, with the exception each form they create doesn’t call for thousands of linking drawings. They want you up on your feet while they’re displaying art for the public.
The deigns you see from the stands normally range from simple spelled out words, to convey a direct message, to confusing moves (and I mean for the audience and the band members) involving rotating intertwined curves. Movement is key to this art form – it is a marching band.
How does the band hold your attention? Sharp changes in movement emphasize any spot of the music. By moving to a form in a quick and complicated way, a sudden freeze of the shape - or change of direction - accompanied by a blast of music causes you to look around asking your tailgate buddies “What’d I miss?”
The Marching Tar Heels bring life to music out on the field, bringing together new forms with new melodies - and the occasional special features/guests (Will Farrell) - all to get the audience engaged in music. So get up on your feet Tar Heels, because here comes Public Art!
To check out the most recent art produced by the Marching Tar Heels follow this link…you’ll never look at a marching band the same way. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GG_Dd-OCEfM
Those Marching Tar Heels wouldn’t disagree more with that statement, because what they do at every football game is art. Few people put together performing arts with visual arts, but like in English, there’s always an exception.
The art form of a marching band centers on their ability to multitask – keeping the beat in their feet, melody in their horns and eyes on the form. Something that can be disastrous if not performed correctly – I’m sure you’ve seen the pile ups.
Marching bands parallel the art work of Disney animators when they created Fantasia. You have a song (sometimes not so exciting), and you make pictures that makes the music fun.
The Marching Tar Heels aren’t too different, with the exception each form they create doesn’t call for thousands of linking drawings. They want you up on your feet while they’re displaying art for the public.
The deigns you see from the stands normally range from simple spelled out words, to convey a direct message, to confusing moves (and I mean for the audience and the band members) involving rotating intertwined curves. Movement is key to this art form – it is a marching band.
How does the band hold your attention? Sharp changes in movement emphasize any spot of the music. By moving to a form in a quick and complicated way, a sudden freeze of the shape - or change of direction - accompanied by a blast of music causes you to look around asking your tailgate buddies “What’d I miss?”
The Marching Tar Heels bring life to music out on the field, bringing together new forms with new melodies - and the occasional special features/guests (Will Farrell) - all to get the audience engaged in music. So get up on your feet Tar Heels, because here comes Public Art!
To check out the most recent art produced by the Marching Tar Heels follow this link…you’ll never look at a marching band the same way. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GG_Dd-OCEfM
The "Un"naturally Large...
The “Un”naturally large…LLAMA!
Just kidding...
ANYWAY...as an athlete I can really appreciate the bronze statue outside of our very own Kenan Stadium, The Ram. It's quite an agile animal and should absolutely stand for our sports endeavors. It is specifically located at the entrance to the Frank H. Football Center and was unveiled in 2002. It is officially one ton of pure bronze and the largest ram sculpture in the world.
Let me rephrase…ITS HUGE!
It was conceived by the one, the only, KENT ULLBERG, who has over 30 monuments of wildlife on four continents. I think this on its own is perfectly good justification to attend UNC. I want a gigantic bronze animal on my campus…
Furthermore, it’s nice to know that we have a Ram on our campus, because as it is our mascot – it would kind of be silly if we didn’t. The statue was donated by Irwin Belk and some of his family of alums. He was quoted in the DTH to have said the statue would “still be here” in 2000 years!
Shame we won’t be there to see it… because that is a serious proclamation.
One thing I do know that, is that it will be here if you come to visit our lovely campus, or if you come to school here!
Thanks, hope to see you soon!
Just kidding...
ANYWAY...as an athlete I can really appreciate the bronze statue outside of our very own Kenan Stadium, The Ram. It's quite an agile animal and should absolutely stand for our sports endeavors. It is specifically located at the entrance to the Frank H. Football Center and was unveiled in 2002. It is officially one ton of pure bronze and the largest ram sculpture in the world.
Let me rephrase…ITS HUGE!
It was conceived by the one, the only, KENT ULLBERG, who has over 30 monuments of wildlife on four continents. I think this on its own is perfectly good justification to attend UNC. I want a gigantic bronze animal on my campus…
Furthermore, it’s nice to know that we have a Ram on our campus, because as it is our mascot – it would kind of be silly if we didn’t. The statue was donated by Irwin Belk and some of his family of alums. He was quoted in the DTH to have said the statue would “still be here” in 2000 years!
Shame we won’t be there to see it… because that is a serious proclamation.
One thing I do know that, is that it will be here if you come to visit our lovely campus, or if you come to school here!
Thanks, hope to see you soon!
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